Know
by Relatively Unknown
Summary: Henry's helicopter flies off and he's on his way home. Then it hits Radar... He knows...


**A/N**: Here I go again, writing more. Oh, well, it's Radar. I can't help it; he's too sweet and smarter than he lets on.

I watched-- and taped-- "Abyssinia, Henry" today. It's the second time I have seen that episode, and I _still_ cried. McLean Stevenson played Henry so well, and his interaction with Radar was just... Well, it was almost like a real father and son.

_Sigh_.

Anyhow, this is my one-shot dedication to that episode, Henry, and Radar. Cheers, guys.

Enjoy.

* * *

I was proud of myself for not outright crying as he said his last words to me and boarded that helicopter. I think he was proud of me, too, from the look he gave me. I saluted him with as much respect as I had for the man who became my surrogate father in the short time we knew each other. He was my hero, and he knew that. I stood there and saluted until the helicopter was well out of sight, then-- finally-- I sighed and walked back towards the camp itself.

It didn't hit me until just before I walked into my office.

_He will die before he reaches home_, a voice in my head whispered gently.

I knew that voice. It was the one that always told me what was going to happen. I froze where I stood and stared at the door without really seeing it. Everyone was rushing around me, checking the wounded or getting supplies. A bus had just pulled in with several more in addition to the two that had come on the helicopter, and behind me I heard Frank yelling, heading the triage this time. I heard Hawkeye snap at him, as usual, and Trapper was hollering for a nurse to begin an IV.

I heard all of it, but I still remained where I was, frozen and staring at the door. Slowly, I closed my eyes and let a few tears fall. I wrapped one arm around myself and held my head with other one, my hand over my mouth. Slowly, I turned around and glanced at the last place I had seen the helicopter before it had disappeared over the mountain.

_Aw, Henry..._ I thought.

"Radar?" a kind voice asked. I flickered my glance over to Father Mulcahy, who looked at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Father," I whispered. I took a deep breath and let a few more tears fall. "He... He's gone, Father. He's gone."

"Yes, he is, but remember-- he's going home to his family who miss him terribly," he said, gently putting a hand on my shoulder. I glanced at him again; he was smiling.

"No, Father. You don't understand," I murmured.

"I'm sorry, I--"

"You'll find out in a few hours, Father," I said, then turned and went into my office.

I sat down on my bed and cried. I cried and cried and cried; it felt like the tears would never end. I had taken my glasses off and thrown them onto my bed. My hat laid on the floor where I had thrown in anger. I was sad and I was angry, angry that my gift, my curse, my radar was too late. It was too late.

Deep down, I knew that even if it had come in time, I wouldn't have been able to stop Henry. He was going home, end of story. He missed his wife and his kids, his hometown, his practice, all of it. He missed _home_, just like everyone else that was in this godforsaken place. I wouldn't have been able to stop him from going because... I wouldn't have been able to tell him. In my heart, there was just no way I would have been able to hurt his happiness, even it had meant saving his life.

Maybe that was it had come late. Maybe it had known, just like I always do. Still, I was still angry... and I still cried.

The call came in several hours later. When I answered, I simply told Sparky-- who was relaying the message-- that I knew. He knew my gift, so he hadn't said anything and hung up. I wiped my eyes, retrieved my hat and glasses, steadied myself, and went to tell them in the OR.

"I have a message," I said, ignoring Hawkeye who told me to put a mask on. "Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake's plane... was shot down over the Sea of Japan. It spun in... There were no survivors."

I left and stood outside the OR door, much like I had earlier. The tears fell again, but I made no sound.

_He is coming,_ the voice whispered. I waited and wasn't surprised to see Father Mulcahy come out, pulling off his mask as he did so.

"Radar?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I knew, Father," I said. "I knew he was going to die."

I looked at him; he was crying, too. He opened his mouth, but closed it again, unable to say anything. I knew he was thinking. He was wondering why I hadn't said it earlier. I had no answer for him, so I said nothing. I turned and began walking back to my office, but then I stopped and glanced back at him.

"I knew," I repeated. I gave him a small, sad smile. "I always know."

And then I left.

_Goodbye, Henry. We miss you. I miss you..._


End file.
